Logo: to the web site of the Swedish Defence University

Basic training to be recruited to the naval rapid reaction forces.

This paper examines if there might be a need of change in the basic training so that the conscripts in the Swedish navy will be better prepared to be recruited to the naval rapid reaction forces. It also examines if the way to recruit personnel to the naval rapid reaction forces needs to be changed. To show how well the system, as it is today, works, a case study have been made on the Swedish naval mission, ML, in Lebanon during 2006-2007. It presents experiences from the mission that later has been analyzed with the help of parts of the educational material that is used in the basic training.

By this research it has emerged that changes could be made in the basic training to better prepare the conscripts. One example of the suggestions that has evolved is that to a greater extent involve international regulations and procedures in the basic training. Suggestions to change the way of recruiting personnel has also evolved and one example of such a suggestion is that the recruiting process could include a test where the person’s physiological suitability is being tested. A test similar to the one the Air force let’s you do before becoming a pilot.

The practice of mission command is a central issue in all western armed forces conducting manoeuvre warfare. Mission command is a command philosophy based on decentralized execution of missions. This requires initiative, mutual understanding and trust from commanders in all levels.The practice is sad to be all-encompassing, but few studies has been made on how the practice is expressed or compatible to support functions within armed brigades.

The purpose of this essay is to examine how a Swedish brigades signals company performs missioncommand. To this end, six qualitative interviews with commander on different levels and positions has been executed and analysed through Nilssons (2020) theoretical framework about the enablers of mission command.

The results show that decentralized mission command is used but with restrains depending on if it effects the operation of communications systems or not. The operation of communication systems is highly regulated with directive orders. But in all other activity outside the restrains of communication systems, subordinates have the freedom to plan and execute order after their own plan. Since there is both a centralized and decentralized command structure at work simultaneously these seem to influence the subordinate´s willingness to take initiative and decisive decision making.

In some sense, I have written this book to summarize and clarify problems that I have been working on and researching in different ways since the beginning of the 1970s. However, the main aim, and my aspiration, is obviously for the book to contribute to an increasingly more essential awareness of and discussion on the opportunities and problems of analysis methods. The book is aimed at students and those interested with no previous experience or prior knowledge of intelligence as well as those on the analytical treadmill. At its very best, the methodological discussion has this natural universality. Wilhelm Agrell has a twin academic background in history, and in peace and conflict research. Since 2006 he is the first Professor in Intelligence analysis in Sweden. He has written extensively on military R&D, security policy, regional conflicts and the role and transformation of intelligence. He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences, and of the advisory board to the Swedish Security Service, and Visiting professor at the Center for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the National Defence College. Sir David Omand is Visiting Professor at King's College, London. He was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, responsible to the Prime Minister for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and "homeland security". Sir David served for seven years on the Joint Intelligence Committee. He was Permanent Secretary of the Home Office from 1997 to 2000, and before that Director of GCHQ.

Betydelsen av god anda och stridsmoral för att nå framgång i strid är vida omskrivet historiskt av såväl fältherrar som krigsvetare. Militärt tänkande har alltid strävat mot att finna svar på hur seger uppnås, vilket renderat i krigföringsprinciper. En av krigföringsprinciperna utgörs av ”Principen om god anda”, vilken innefattar bland annat vilja och stridsmoral. God anda är väl beforskat, men inte ur och mot en svensk kontext. Om god andas betydelse och påverkan för svensk personal i stridssituationer bättre kan förstås kan detta också påverka vikten av att beakta krigföringsprincipen och att ge god anda mer central roll och betydelse.

Studiens syfte är att få djupare förståelse för hur god anda uppfattas och värderas hos svensk militär personal med erfarenheter av skarpa stridssituationer. Genom en induktiv ansats, exploration och en empiriskt grundad teori skapas denna förståelse.

Resultatet visar att god anda uppfattas och förstås som en förmågeskapande process som utgör grunden till, och har direkt påverkan på enhetens förmåga. Enheter med stridserfarenhet kan nå en djupare god anda, och därmed även nå längre och djupare i den förmågeskapande processen. Resultatet visar även att god anda värderas som en mycket viktig grund till att skapa förutsättningar för effektivitet och framgång i strid. En slutsats är att betydelsen av god anda är undervärderad som krigföringsprincip och förmågeskapande process i svenska doktriner och reglementen. Detta genom att resultatet, styrkt i tidigare forskning, tydligt visar på hur god anda utgör grundfundamentet till effektivitet och förmåga i strid.

John A. Warden III is renowned as one of the theorists closest to devising a new paradigm in air power. His praised theory about the enemy as a system has showed applicable on terrorist organizations amongst other areas.

The most recent developed domain for warfare is the so-called “cyberspace”. There is an on-going debate concerning the importance and definition of this domain and furthermore what potential and challenges it withholds as a future arena for warfare. Some claims that a cyberattack can’t be seen as an act of war due to its lack of physical violence.

Previous research show however a lack in application of theories within this domain. This thesis therefore aims to examine to which extent Warden’s theory of the enemy as a system could be applied to the cyberattack known as Stuxnet.

Results show that Warden’s theory have some applicatory power on the cyberattack Stuxnet, although primarily in an indirect aspect. This study therefore shows an ability concerning the theory’s applicatory power on other areas than air power.

The findings of the research regarding previous arguments about cyberwar also states that a cyberattack now could be seen as physical violent.

This essay starts out in the problems that have risen involving military science and modern warfare. The principles of war were selected as the topic of research and through a discussion the thesis question was set out to be:

Which differences can be found between the theoretical explanations of the principles of war and the application that is made within the Swedish surface warfare system today?

 Limitations were set to be the Swedish surface warfare system, peacekeeping operations, and the operational and tactical levels of warfare. Since academics argue which the “real” principles of war are, this essay defined them as the ones found in the Swedish Maritime Operational Doctrine. These principles are: define an objective and stand true to it, good morale, offensive action, security, surprise, organization, concentration of forces, economy of force, tactical adaptation and organisation.

Through a qualitative method, including the techniques interviews and literature studies, the essay formed a basis for theory and empirics. A critical discussion concerning sources, as well as the terms validity and generalisability, concluded the method chapter. The theory chapter presented the theoretical picture of the selected principles from the selected literature. Following chapter provided a historical example and the modern views of each principle.

Through a discussion, five of the ten principles were accepted as applicable today. The other five, define an objective and stand true to it, offensive action, concentration of force, surprise, and security were determined to differ, each in its own way, from theory. Hence, a further study upon the subject was suggested to investigate the same topic on alternate arena as well as a closer look upon the four differing principles.

På vilket sätt skiljer sig de militära domänernas förmåga att bidra till framgång vid tvångsmaktsförsök? Vad förklarar skillnaden? Tidigare forskning menar att det finns skillnader som systematiskt går att förklara utifrån perspektivet att: mindre kostsamma hot leder till bristande trovärdighet och således liten sannolikhet för framgång.

Studien undersöker dessa två frågor genom en kvantitativ empirisk analys utifrån historiska observationer och genomför en teoretisk prövning utifrån ett kontrasterande perspektiv till tidigare forskning; ett mindre kostsamt hot bidrar till hög trovärdighet utifrån Daryl G. Press teori.

Resultatet från denna studie visar att det finns tydliga skillnader mellan domänernas effekt för framgång inom det empiriska underlaget. Dessa skillnader är föränderliga inom den undersökta perioden. Efter andra världskrigets slut framstår marina- och luftstridskrafter ha ett mer tydligt samband med framgångsrik tvångsmakt relativt markdomänen.

Press teori predikterar utfallet med tillräcklig säkerhet för att ifrågasätta tidigare forsknings slutsatser kring bristande trovärdighet som effekt av minde kostsamma hot.

War is rarely fought on equal terms. On the contrary, before an upcoming war, stronger actors are often predicted to be the winner against the weaker one. History offers several examples that this isn’t always the case, if the weaker actor plays their cards well. Sweden’s military-strategic doctrine (MSD 16) describes the will, in case of being attacked, to win togheter with other actors - or to avoid defeat on it’s own. These descriptions are eerily similair to the German invasion of Norway 1940 and the Winter War 1939 – 1940. Supported by the Allies, Norway didn’t win, which led to a German occupation. Finland, on it’s own, avoided defeat, rendering in a draw against the Soviet Union.

The study’s aim is to test Arreguín-Toft’s Strategic Interaction theory. Furthermore, the study aims to shed light on the strategic methods that resultet in success and adversity, in relation to the weak actor’s strategic goals.

The results show that the Strategic interaction theory can explain the outcome of the conflicts to a certain degree. Success and adversity are both identified in the cases and serves as empirical basis that, to a certain degree, supports the will of the Swedish military-strategic doctrine. 

During the national preparedness in Sweden, 1939-1945, the new dimensions of the “Total war” pushed for a build-up of a Civil defence that could help to reduce effects on the civil population if Sweden were put under attack. This thesis poses the question of how women’s roles in the Civil defence were motivated and driven by the state and women’s defence organisations. It aims to further give knowledge to how social and economic constraints have shaped renegotiation processes of women’s roles in times of national crisis. It finds that the state and women´s defence organisations both evoked and dismissed women’s engagement in the Civil defence. Women were expected to contribute to specific assignments but were not admitted and obliged to the duties on the same terms as men. Women’s roles in the Civil defence changed over time; this can be derived from the increased threat of war and the augmented pressure to provide reserve labour to industries and the defence.

The article problematizes decision-making in the health and care sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is done deductively by applying an empi-rically developed decision model to new data that consists of media articles. The decision model can be divided into two dimensions; an employee-orien-ted and an organization-oriented. Each dimension indicates the direction of the decision and ranges from anti to pro. This means that decisions can be made pro/anti employees/organization. We have found evidence for the models’ various dimensions, which are the basis of an analysis of the con-sequences decisions may have on employees, the working life and the civil society as a whole.  

In 2016, by moving from armed struggle to collective reincorporation, Colombian women ex-guerrilleras of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) – the farianas – reconfigured the ‘combatant’ identity by leaving their weapons and engaging in post-war politics with their own feminist vision: insurgent feminism. Drawing upon feminist ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the north-east of Colombia in 2019 and 2022, this article has two interlinked objectives. First, through the lenses of embodiment and affects, it explores the challenges and contradictions of transiting from an armed organisation to a civilian identity for women militants. From there, the article then uses the continuum of militancy to explore the (ongoing) consolidation of farianas’ insurgent feminism and the tensions emerging in this endeavour. In doing so, the article contributes, theoretically, to the inclusion of emotions and embodiment in the theorisation of reincorporation and, empirically and politically, to the construction of knowledge and practice about insurgent feminism.

This article is a narration about the contradictory feelings of occupying a space of transition between carrying a gun, and building ‘a new life’, as women ex-guerrillera, in the context of the post-peace agreement in Colombia. It draws upon two ethnographic fieldworks conducted in the northeastern region of Colombia in 2019 and 2022. It analyses the political, spatio-temporal, and embodied dynamics of their reincorporation, drawing on two key concepts that speak to this feeling of occupying a space ‘in-between’ war and ‘civilian society’: liminality and borderlands. The article mobilises liminality as an analytical and empirical tool to delve into those dynamics and show the gendered contestations that precisely arise from this ‘in-betweenness’ that eludes dichotomous analyses of war and peace.

Objective/context: In this article, I propose the concept of continuum of militancy to analyze the transformation of the political struggles of former FARC-EP women guerrilleras in the post-peace agreement, with a particular emphasis on the country’s northeastern region. Based on their narratives, I inquire about the transformation from armed struggle to feminist combat, as well as the tensions and challenges that arise in this path. Methodology: I focus on three particular methods: the feminist fieldwork diary, biographical interviews, and participant observations in two fieldworks conducted in 2019 and 2022 in northeastern Colombia. Conclusions: The article confirms the need to understand post-peace agreement militancy as a continuum between armed struggle and different feminist, women, and gender combats. It also demonstrates the importance of analyzing the militancy of the ex-guerrilleras of the FARC-EP, starting from the insurgent identity. Finally, it concludes that insurgent feminism, despite the political tensions it entails, is a practical example of this continuum of militancy. Originality: The article has three main contributions: it theorizes the conceptual elements of the continuum of militancy; it brings knowledge about the construction of insurgent feminism in northeastern Colombia; and it contributes to the understanding of the political tensions surrounding the transformation of armed struggles into nonviolent feminist actions.

This article aims at questioning the uses of feminist epistemologies and methodologies in the context of a fieldwork project conducted in Colombia on the return to civilian life of female combatants. While the topic "female combatants" tends to be the object of an academic over-investment, contributing to its depoliticization, the Authors discuss the various approaches, tools and methods produced by feminist epistemology that can be mobilized in order to avoid the reproduction of power relationships that can be established between researchers and participants, but also the competition between the researchers themselves. The article begins by analyzing the various factors that have contributed to the making of "female combatants" as an over-studied subject. It then describes the fieldwork that inspired our discussion and examines more particularly the challenges raised by a concrete application of feminist epistemology during the fieldwork. Third, it articulates proposals to develop feminist epistemology beyond gender issues by rethinking the multiple manners of organizing the different spatio-temporalities of the research process and the concrete connection with the territories of investigation.

Doktrinutveckling kan under vissa förutsättningar accelereras, till exempel kan stora förändringar i omvärldsläge eller större utveckling i stridsfältet motivera förändrad eller ny doktrin. Samtidigt som vissa faktorer accelererar doktrinutveckling har den militära organisationen i sin utformning inneboende faktorer som försvårar förändring.

Uppsatsen beskriver att Sverige trots avsaknaden av skriven doktrin fram till 2002 har haft en stabil doktrinidé under efterkrigstiden, men efter kalla krigets slut har det funnit tillfälle och förutsättning att omvärdera dessa idéer. 

Uppsatsen undersöker förhållanden mellan svenska försvarsbeslut och svensk doktrin. Uppsatsen söker svaret på hur väl svensk doktrin lyckas följa förändringar i omvärldsläget. Vidare för uppsatsen en argumentation kring om organisatoriska faktorer utgör försvårande faktorer för Försvarsmaktens doktrinförändring. 

Uppsatsens resultat visar att den militära organisationen har starka band till sitt arv, vilket hämmar utveckling. Försvarsmakten har inte tillvaratagit perioden då omfattande Försvarsreformer varit möjliga och man fångar inte möjligheterna i det förändrade stridsfältet.   

Ända sedan luftmaktens begynnelse har luftmaktsteoretiker som Douhet, Trenchard och Mitchell fokuserat på luftmaktens offensiva förmågor utifrån ett stormaktsperspektiv.

Dagens osäkra omvärld har lett till att Sverige blivit allierad i Nato. Även som allierade behöver småstater som Sverige ha förmåga att enskilt möta ett angrepp från en numerärt överlägsen motståndare då stödet från Nato kan dröja. Småstaters luftmaktsdoktriner behöver därmed baseras på teorier som möjliggör för småstaten att överleva tills stöd anländer. Tyngdpunktsförskjutningen mot offensiva stormaktsteorier behöver därför vägas upp med fler luftmaktsteorier för småstater men i väntan på dessa är ett alternativ att vidare undersöka de få existerande småstatsteorierna.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka en modern luftmaktsteori med relevans för småstaten för att ta ett första steg mot att pröva om den har förklaringskraft i alla scenarier. För att uppfylla syftet prövas teorin The Underdog’s Model genom att analysera Storbritanniens agerande under Falklandskriget.

Resultatet visar att Storbritannien under Falklandskriget agerade väl enligt The Underdog’s Model och att teorins förklaringskraft i fallet är hög. 

Since no plan survives contact with reality, during the execution of a military operation it might be necessary to re-plan the operation. In order to decide whether, and when, re-planning should be initiated a feedback process is needed that provides the commander with information about the progress of the operation, and an assessment of whether the operation is leading towards the overarching goals or not. The operations assessment process is part of such a feedback process.

The current method (in e.g. NATO) operations assessment is focused on the accomplishment of planned actions and on the effects in the operational environment system. A data collection plan is established during development of the operational plan which specifies which and how data should be collected. Thus the “questions” the operations assessment process poses towards the environment are tightly connected to critical elements of the operational plan.

If the plan, however, starts to become obsolete due to unforeseen changes in the operational environment, there might be a risk that the assessment process, grounded in the plan, neglects information that is critical for decisions about re-planning. This paper suggests an alternative approach to operations assessment that is based on an idea of separating the operations assessment plan from the operational plan. Such a separation would focus the assessment process on the evolving operational environment, thus reducing the risk that unanticipated threats, or opportunities, will be overlooked and re-planning is overdue.

Som komplement till Gemensamma grunder för samverkan och ledning vid samhällsstörningar har MSB tagit fram ett beslutsstöd, Operativt beslutsstöd, som är tänkt att hjälpa beslutsfattare att besluta hur resurser ska prioriteras vid samhällsstörningar. Beslutsstödet ska kunna användas av alla aktörer som bidrar till att hantera samhällsstörningar, både aktörsgemensamt och aktörsinternt, och är tänkt att kunna användas med eller utan kvalificerad operativ vana. Beslutsstödet är av typen checklista och består av fem huvudsteg, med tillhörande delfrågor. Rapporten redovisar en utvärdering av ett utkast till beslutsstödet (Operativt beslutsstöd, UTKAST version 0.7) med avseende på beslutsstödets lättillgänglighet och användbarhet, samt med avseende på beslutsstödets kompatibilitet med Försvarsmaktens motsvarighet. Rapporten riktar sig främst till de som deltar i utvecklingen av beslutsstödet.

Beslutsstödets lättillgänglighet och användbarhet undersöktes genom att användare utan operativ vana eller utbildning i att använda stödet nyttjade stödet för att fatta beslut om prioriteringar i ett fiktivt scenario. Elva grupper om två eller tre studenter deltog i undersökningen. Deltagarna fick ange om de använde alla steg i stödet för att lösa uppgiften eller om de avvek från stödet i något fall och då om orsaken till detta. De skattade även olika aspekter av beslutsprocessen. Resultaten tyder på att beslutsstödet var såväl användbart som lättillgängligt.

Beslutsstödets kompatibilitet med Försvarsmaktens motsvarighet på operativ nivå, Svensk planerings- och ledningsmetod (SPL) undersöktes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra officerare med omfattande kunskap om SPL. Resultaten tyder på att beslutsstödet är kompatibelt med SPL.

Förutom dessa huvudresultat framkom ett antal synpunkter och förbättringsförlag rörande beslutsstödet i dess nuvarande form. 

Drawing on sensegiving theory, utilizing interviews, doctrine studies and the-matic analysis methodology, this thesis investigates the prospects on Swedish Army´s tactical language to be efficient for facilitating situational awareness and issuing instructions in high-intensity warfare against a highly technolog-ical adversary in the land domain. In the study I conclude the tactical language is perceived as sufficient for its purpose but with remarks and offers a few suggestions to manage the flaws.

This study aims to identify, establish and discuss the potential problems associated with outsourcing military functions to private enterprises within the context of “grey-area” threats. This is of high relevance as essential parts of the Swedish armed forces (SAF) sea logistic chain are dependent on private shipping companies (PSC) as they do not possess these functions inhouse, and the “grey-area” in particular is a subject of great juridical uncertainty. By focusing on chartering and freighting outsourcing between PSCs and the SAF, the ambition is to identify certain risks, complications and difficulties for the operational capacity of the SAF, that may arise as a result of threatful situations within the grey-area.By conducting in-depth interviews with prominent personnel within both the SAF and PSCs, it has been possible to identify certain areas of complex issues and challenges necessary to address when entering into freighting agreements adequate for grey-area threats. In conclusion the study identified the following main problematic areas:

·      No guarantee from the state to ensure PSC assets when damaged by grey-area activity, puts increasing demand for good will between parties. This is problematic in the sense of becoming a normative relationship, and not substantial. ·      The SAF may find themselves in a disadvantageous position in terms of competences and resources when negotiating agreements. 

·      Lack of PSC involvement in defence planning leads to deficient understanding for SAF needs and demands.

·      PSCs as civilian corporations are more vulnerable to societal disturbances, which may lead to slow response in crisis-situations.

·      PSCs as a global industry risk (i) exploitation of free-market dynamics by antagonistic activity through foreign co-ownership and buyout, (ii) juridical limitations through PSCs using ships of foreign nations (flag), and (iii) shortage in manpower, as well as security threats to SAF interests may arise by PSCs using multinational crews.

·      Freighting between parties is a time-consuming process which may be problematic for quick response to grey-area threats. 

Between the end of the Cold War and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sweden’s defence logistics resources have been reduced. This trend has also meant that logistics command and control at the operational level have been deprioritized in operational defence. As the defence of Sweden's territory becomes a priority again, this study aims to use logistics principles to understand how structural organization affects the management of operational logistics units. Using pattern matching analysis combined with thematic coding, it was possible to compare a theoretical realm with two observed realms, represented by centralized and decentralized command and control structures, at the Swedish operational logistics level. The results indicate that neither centralized nor decentralized models individually fully matched the theoretical pattern based on Kress's principles for effectively managing operational logistics resources. A synergistic application of both models is suggested to ensure optimal coordination of logistics resources.

The main purpose with this essay is to examine the development of the Swedish mine warfare branch both tactical and technical and how these two components are combined to maximize the effect. The essay also analyses the midlife upgrade of the MCMV Landsort class towards the MCMV Koster class.

This essay will describe on the basis of the Swedish doctrines and mine warfare textbooks how the naval tactics and technology function as a foundation for development of new means in the duel against the sea mine.

The sea mine is a weapon system that has been used during several centuries and has sunk more tonnage than all other weapon systems together. As long as there have been sea mines, there has also existed its counterpart, the mine counter measures.

The Swedish MCMV’s technological and tactical developments strive towards fulfilling the six mandatory functions in warfare, command, effect, protection, mobility, intelligence and endurance. The modern MCMV develops toward a more secure and efficient unit.

The previous definitions of war have become outdated and several theories claim their place  in the theoretical debate of the future wars. One of them, Hybrid Warfare have had a great impact   and are now being incorporated into doctrine by several nations and military organizations, even though the theory is criticized. This thesis aims to clarify the discussion surrounding this theory and at the same time make a contribution to the theoretical debate. By extracting key signatures of Hybrid Warfare and testing them on the Russian intervention in the Ukraine and the Crimea the thesis seeks to answer if this conflict really is a case of Hybrid Warfare, as it is portrayed.  The theoretical debate is the main focus of the thesis and the case study of the Ukraine concludes     that evidence within the conflict categorizes it as a case of Hoffman´s Hybrid Warfare. The later chapters argue that these findings strengthen the debate in favour of Hoffman´s theory and ads another empirical factor to the discussion of the understanding of future conflict. Ended by thoughts of how the results can affect the future of the military profession. 

Till följd av stigande temperaturer smälter isen i Arktis. Farleder öppnas för transporter och de naturtillgångar som legat skyddade av isen blir tillgängliga för utvinning. Stormakterna USA, Ryssland och Kina intresserar sig för regionen och dynamiken mellan dem påverkar den säkerhetspolitiska situationen däri. I Euro-Arktis upplever Norge sedan 2009 en alltmer utmanande säkerhetspolitisk situation, från att ha varit i en ohotad situation till ett ökat hot från Ryssland. De allianser och bilaterala samarbeten Norges säkerhet har vilat på är inte längre tillräckliga.

Som småstat är Norges säkerhetspolitik, trots ett primärt intresse av närområdet, beroende av hur stormakter agerar. Småstater och specifikt Norge är, i jämförelse med stormakterna, relativt outforskade.

I denna teorikonsumerande fallstudie undersöks utifrån ett realistiskt perspektiv hur stormakterna USA, Ryssland och Kinas maktkamp påverkar Norges säkerhetspolitiska val. Studien avhandlar perioden 2009 till 2019.

Studiens resultat visar att rivaliteten mellan USA och Ryssland, samt USA och Kina har ökat under tidsperioden, vilket påverkar den säkerhetspolitiska dynamiken i Norges närområde. Vidare har Natos och USA:s splittrade fokus inneburit att Norge tvingats söka säkerhet genom att stärka sin militära förmåga och samarbeta närmre med framför allt Sverige och Finland.

Slutligen visar studien att småstater noggrant behöver välja sin säkerhetsstrategi då stora allianser och stormakter inte alltid har samma prioriteringar som småstater.

Enligt Försvarsmakten bygger den militära professionen på fyra delar, jurisdiktion, ansvar, värdegrund och expertis. Expertisen utgör kärnan i professionen och bygger på individens kunskaper och färdigheter. För att kunna utveckla kunskapen hos personalen i allmänhet och specialistofficerare i synnerhet så behöver Försvarsmakten säkerställa att kunskapsinhämtning sker utifrån styrande dokument och tilldelade förutsättningar. Armén har brutit ned centrala styrningar och utgivit riktlinjer för karriär och befordran som innehåller gemensamma tidskrav och krav på förmåga för specialistofficerare. Personalen är en resurs som likt fordon, vapen och material behöver utvecklas för att kunna möta varje hot och klara varje utmaning.Denna studies undersöker hur specialistofficerare inom arméförband tillförskansar sig kunskaper och färdigheter för att uppnå den militära professionens expertis utifrån organisationens behov och styrningar. Studien är teoridriven och analysen görs utifrån teorins SECI-modell.Studien kan dra två slutsatser för hur specialistofficerare inhämtar kunskaper, dels att förbanden i studien behöver förtydliga och förstärka de metoder där framför allt explicit kunskap hanteras, dels att den militära organisationen behöver fördjupa kunskapen internt om framtagna metoder och hur specialistofficerare skall erhålla fördjupad kunskap inom sin profession. Detta för

Airmanship är ett uttryck inom pilotyrket som nyttjas världen över för att beskriva en pilots professionsskicklighet. Civilt är begreppet starkt förknippat med flygsäkerhet och praktiskt handhavande av flygmaskinen, men även till uppgiften som skall genomföras vare sig det är transport eller privata nöjesflygningar. Då airmanship är kontextberoende och saknar en fastställd definition uppstår en diskrepans när den militära aviationen, med dess unika kontext, anammar uttrycket jämfört med den civila tolkningen. Denna studie syftar till att förstå och begreppsliggöra tolkningen av airmanship på stridsflygförband inom den svenska militära kontexten och dess betydelse för den militära verksamheten. Den kvalitativa fallstudien genomförs som en serie skriftliga intervjuer och en fokusgruppintervju vilken betonar den individuella kontextberoende tolkningen gjord av aktiva stridspiloter på krigsförband.

Resultatet utmynnar i en modellbeskrivning av stridspiloters tolkning av airmanship inom svensk stridsflygverksamhet, vilken betonar vikten av förbandskulturens påverkan på den operativa och taktiska effekten krigsförbanden levererar. Tillika begreppsliggör modellen airmanships beståndsdelar och hur de interagerar för att skapa ett professionellt omdöme vilket syftar till en välgrundad beslutfattningsprocess i de situationsunika kontexter som professionsutövaren verkar inom. Studiens fenomenologiska perspektiv påvisar hur piloten och officeren i sin professionsutövning förkroppsligar länken mellan förbandskulturens moraliska faktorer och den sammanlagda krigföringsförmågan. Detta perspektiv tydliggör vikten av ett aktivt och långsiktigt arbete med att utveckla en god förbandskultur i syfte att öka krigföringsförmågan för förbandet och odla det professionella omdömet hos individuella piloter och officerare. 

Specialförband nyttjas allt mer i dagens konflikter och det organisatoriska innehållet i specialförbandssystem skiljer sig åt, där vissa länder har utökat sitt system med lätt infanteri i en understödjande roll. Detta skapar ett behov för Sverige att analysera andras erfarenheter avseende nyttjande av understödjande infanteriet.

Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med ökad förståelse avseende de för- och nackdelar som uppkommer på taktisk nivå när understödjande infanteri nyttjas vid specialoperationer.

Denna studie använder ett teoretiskt analysramverk bestående av McRavens teori och de principer han har utvecklat kring specialoperationer.

Undersökningen visar sammanfattningsvis att understödjande infanteriet bidrar till en in-satsstyrkas samlade effekt och förmåga, samt att de möjliggör för kärnförbanden att lyckas med huvuduppgiften. Resultatet i en specialoperation påverkas genom samtliga prestationer av den personal och de förbandsenheter som ingår i specialoperationen.

Ämnet militärteknik utgår från att tekniska system är officerens arbetsredskap och att en förståelse för och kunskap om dessa verktyg är central för att kunna utöva professionen framgångsrikt. Denna nionde volym av Lärobok i Militärteknik, benämnd Teori och Metod, behandlar centrala begrepp, teorier och postulat samt metoder för värdering av teknik och består av ett antal texter författade av 16 forskare och lärare vid den militärtekniska avdelningen. Volymen riktar sig främst till de som inlett sin officersutbildning och utgörs till stora delar av ett kompilat av publicerade och opublicerade militärtekniska texter och kan sägas utgöra militärteknikens ”state of the art”.

A major Norwegian defence procurement project takes decades from project initiation to the desired military capability is delivered and has reached full operational capability. The Norwegian Armed Forces’ primary mission is to maintain a credible deterrence and prevent armed conflicts arising, meaning that the capability acquired through military procurement projects must play into future general deterrence. Do Norway’s strategic military capability procurement projects contribute to a credible and capable deterrence?

The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the deterrence potential of two chosen Norwegian military procurement projects of strategic importance. The capabilities studied are the acquisition of the US fifth generation fighter, F-35 Lightning II and the 212CD submarine to be designed and built by Germany. The two projects have a combined estimated investment cost of 113 billion NOK.

Deterrence is a large area in social science and the discipline of War Studies. This study applies a deterrence theory lens, primarily based on the conclusion in Zagare’s and Kilgour’s perfect deterrence theory regarding the importance of capable and credible threats, operationalised through Dalsjö’s five dimensions of threshold defence.

The analysis identifies a clear credibility issue with one of the projects and the paradox that cost saving decisions intended to ensure operational availability and increase credibility also make the capability more vulnerable and less credible due to lack of redundancy.

Det teoretiska fältet inom internationella relationer som benämns realismen betraktar världsordningen som en anarkistisk plats där en kontinuerlig maktkamp pågår mellan rivaliserande stater. Dock har systemet en viss struktur där stater kan rangordnas i systemet utifrån traditionella realpolitiska maktmedel så som internationellt erkännande, ekonomi och tillgången till konventionella och nukleära militära medel. Operationsmiljön har dock utvecklats sedan de tidiga teorierna om internationella relationer. Cyberrymden har blivit en domän som erbjuder såväl statliga som ickestatliga aktörer att påverka varandra. Den nya operationsmiljön är att betrakta som global och utan fysiska gränser under förutsättning att ett fritt, öppet och tillgängligt internet ska finnas.

I denna studie prövas tidigare realismens teorier i form av att Posens normativa teori om hur stater utformar doktriner utifrån maktbalansering. Teorin förutspår hur stater, i synnerhet stormakter utformar sina doktriner utifrån upplevda hot mot statens säkerhet. Tillgängliga former av doktriner definieras som offensiva, defensiva eller avskräckande. Studien är en totalundersökning av de fem stormakterna och deras cyberstrategier.

Resultatet av studien ger vid handen att teorin till del kan bekräftas då det går att finna spår av maktbalansering i de studerade stormakternas cyberstrategier. Däremot är de normativa delarna av teorin som beskriver att doktriner ska vara offensiva, defensiva eller avskräckande inte fullt giltiga när stater utformar cyberstrategier.

Den 7 oktober 2001 startade kriget i Afghanistan, en konflikt som idag har pågått i nästan 12 år. Målet med operationen var att driva den talibanska ledningen från makten, samt att tillfångata Usama bin Ladin och andra ledare inom al-Qaida och därmed få ett slut på den säkra tillflyktsort som al-Qaida och andra terroristgrupper haft i Afghanistan.

Corum och Johnson är två militärteoretiker som har forskat inom användandet av luftmakt i irreguljära konflikter. Dessa två har i sin bok Airpower in Small Wars formulerat 11 lärdomar som de anser att man bör ha i beaktning då man använder luftmakt i irreguljära konflikter. Fem av dessa lärdomar går att applicera direkt vid en analys på stridsflygsfunktionen, medan de andra sex behandlar områden som strategi, lufttransport och utbildning.

I analysen framkommer det att vissa av dessa fem lärdomar går till stor del att skönja i hur stridsflyget har använts i kriget i Afghanistan, medan andra har tillämpats i mindre omfattning. De två punkter där utvecklingspotentialen bedöms vara hög avseende nyttjandet av stridsflyget är inom Undvika civila offer samt Använda markmålsoperationer vid konventionell krigföring. De tre andra lärdomar som har använts i analysen; Viktig roll för tekniskt avancerade flygsystem och vapen, Väl tillämpad jointförmåga samt Irreguljära krig är underrättelseintensiva ser man användas i större utsträckning, dock med visst utrymme för förbättring även här.

This study uses the full-range leadership model to argue that on days when leaders engage in transformational leadership behaviors, they identify follower strengths and stimulate followers to show personal initiative. We propose that transformational leadership is related to follower work engagement and performance through follower strengths use and personal initiative. Moreover, we hypothesize that followers' personal initiative is most effective when followers use their strengths. A total of 57 Norwegian naval cadets filled out a diary booklet for 30 days (response = 72.6%; n = 1242). Multilevel modeling analyses largely supported our hypotheses. On the days when leaders used transformational leadership behaviors such as intellectual stimulation and individual consideration, followers were more likely to use their strengths and take initiative. These behaviors, in turn, predicted next-day work engagement and next-day job performance. Moreover, followers’ personal initiative was particularly related to work engagement when strengths use was high rather than low. We discuss how these findings contribute to the leadership literature by showing how leaders inspire their followers to lead themselves. In addition, we elaborate on the practical implications for leadership training.

The anchoring effect is a well-studied subject. This article connects the effect with the rules-in-use within a military intelligence institution. Particularly the rules-in-use that dictate that an analyst takes his or hers starting point from recently conducted assessments of the specific area or threat. The threat assessment as well as the written assessment were affected. The results show that officers have an aversion to lower a previous given threat assessment. This gives that to understand risk assessment we not only need to understand the methods used, we also need to understand the institutions in which they are used. This is especially relevant for military intelligence as the assessments are conducted in an environment of high uncertainty.

In accordance with the EU Network and Information Security directive (NIS directive), the Swedish government made it mandatory for specific authorities and organizations to report IT-related incidents to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB). In their report from 2017, MSB stated that due to the low frequency of incoming information, the report doesn’t give an accurate picture of the actual circumstances. The same year the European Commission adopted a cybersecurity package containing multiple initiatives aimed to further better member states resilience, deterrence and handling of cyber-attacks. Due to the insufficient information in MSBs’ report, it´s difficult to determine whether the Swedish cyber defence has the ability to deter antagonistic states to conduct cyber operations or not.

The purpose of this theory-consuming single-case study was to examine the Swedish cyber defence from a deterrence perspective and thereby provide new understanding regarding Swedens’ ability to deter within the cyber domain. To do this, a conceptual framework was constructed constituting of  Phil Williams’ theory on the requirements of successful deterrence, and David J. Lonsdales’ model for cyber deterrence. Contemporary Swedish political documents, doctrines, reports and statements made up the empirical material that has been examined through qualitative text analysis.

The result of the analysis revealed that the Swedish cyber defence, from a deterrence perspective, can be described as inadequate. Despite meeting the basic requirements for deterrence to succeed, the Swedish cyber defence lacks what Lonsdale calls a comprehensive flexible cross-domain offensive capability. The absence of a cross-domain retaliatory capability in the Swedish cyber defence repertoire has a negative incidental impact on deterrence credibility. According to Williams, it’s imperative that the defender possess necessary capabilities to fulfil a threat, otherwise the deterrence won’t seem credible and therefor lack effectiveness.

This is a series of solicited articles requested by the editors of Vol. 51, emerging from a roundtable discussion held at the 2022 International Studies Association Convention. Each short contribution seeks to demonstrate the newest research of the English School of International Relations. These contributions tackle key questions including: the decline of liberal hegemony, the rise of China, the divide between soldaristic and pluralistic ethics, the engagement of the English School with Area Studies, theoretical approaches to grounding English School research and an investigation of the English School’s intellectual legacy.

War is nothing but a duel on an extensive scale, an act of violence to compel our opponent to fulfil our will.

The aim of the action in war is to disarm the enemy. If our opponent is to be made to comply with our will, we must place him in a situation which is more oppressive to him than the sacrifice which we demand. Every change in this position which is produced by a continuation of the war, should therefore be a change for the worse. Many theories and doctrines are based on this truth. To succeed to place our opponent in an adverse situation one must lead the battle and do it faster than the opponent. This is also what Colonel Boyd saw in his studies of the air fights during the war in Korea. The OODA loop or Boyd’s cycle is now a basic theory of maneuver warfare. William S. Lind writes in his handbook in maneuver warfare that the purpose itself of maneuver warfare is to go through the OODA loop faster than your enemy. As remark number 1 in the guidance for succeeding with that task, Lind state that only a decentralized force can go through the cycle of decision fast. This conclusion can be found in all doctrines and handbooks in the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF). Mission type tactics with decentralized control is ordered, or recommended and described in all service doctrines. It is the base for command and control within the whole organization. In all doctrines and regulations in the SAF there are exceptions when mission type tactics with direct control is preferred or an imperative necessity.

After closer inquiries one can see that sometimes mission type tactics are carelessly used to describe both a philosophy and a method. After several years of service within the Ground Based Air Defense troops, my experience is that mission type control is not used as much as centralized control. This entails very little space for subordinated to take any initiative in the air war. Is that desirable, inevitable or on the whole consistent with mission type tactics? Is it possible that the GBAD with its unique position in both the ground- and air troops can go through the OODA loop faster than its opponents without decentralized control, as Lind alleged as rule number 1?

Through a elucidation of mission type tactics as both philosophy and as a method, a comparison between how airpower and maneuver theory treat mission type tactics and together with the conditions for GBAD the answer to how the GBAD can apply mission type tactics will be found. Mission type tactics is a sine qua non for the GBAD in order to be able to use centralized control and to lead through command. Detailed guidance is right now inevitable and necessary with the conditions now at hand. At the same time the ability for the GBAD to be effective in the air is founded through the mission type tactics.

Idag finns inga vetenskapliga belägg huruvida luftvärn kan bidra till att avskräcka en utmanare. Bristen på kunskap kring detta kan kopplas till bristen på forskning kring defensiv luftmakt då det i luftmaktskretsar främst varit offensiva teorier om luftmakt som härskat.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka kausala samband mellan nyttjande av luftvärn och en ökad tröskeleffekt i syfte att avskräcka en utmanare.

Utgångspunkten är duellen mellan luftvärn och offensiva luftmaktsresurser i kampen om luftherravälde. Resultatet visar att det finns ett kausalt samband mellan luftvärnets förmåga att bestrida en utmanares luftherravälde och ökade genomförandekostnader för en utmanare vid utövandet av luftmakt, med ökad tröskeleffekt som följd. Ett kausalt samband mellan luftvärnets förmåga och en lägre grad av luftkontroll för utmanaren att genomföra luftoperationer ifrån kan inte påvisas.

Undersökningen visar även på ett möjligt kausalt samband mellan att uppträda med kombinerade luftvärnssystem och höjda genomförandekostnader för utmanaren.

Resultatet ger insikt i hur luftvärn kan påverka en tröskeleffekt och bidra till avskräckning samt utökar teoribasen för defensiv luftmakt med ett luftvärnsfokus.

The topic of this essay is the strategic importance of the Golan Heights during the period 1967-1973, specifically targeting the following questions;

-          Why were the heights strategically important?

-          What are the gains of either of the states in controlling the Golan Heights?

A theoretical framework based on Jerker Widén´s and Jan Ångström´s Militärteorins grunder (The fundamentals in Military Theory) and its chapter regarding the strategic context will be used as an analytical framework.

The framework has been applied on the specific conditions of the Golan Heights during a given and limited period of time; stretching from 1967 to 1973, however, the study will not deal with the war of attrition in 1970 as the impact on the Golan Heights and the surrounding geographical strategically important area was limited if at all. The two wars waged during this particular time are used in an attempt to give a somewhat objective picture of the strategic importance of the area.

The conclusions are that the importance of the Golan heights during the selected period was significant as the Golan Heights provided a “strategic lock” both ways and provides a favourable area to deploy artillery, intelligence and surveillance sensors.

Following the government's decision to resume conscription, it is now both women and men’s obligation to conduct military basic training if they are called upon. The government's intention is that the commitment, primarily should be based on volunteers and, secondarily, by conscription through law. To create conditions for more individuals to find themselves motivated to voluntarily complete basic military training, it is therefore relevant to examine what makes an individual motivated while others do not. Additionally, it is also interesting to examine to which extent the initial information from “Plikt- och prövningsverket” (conscription office) and from the Swedish Armed Forces' website is encouraging from a motivational perspective.

Based on the results, a reasoning can be made about what potential effects there are with the design of the information document and whether there are any opportunities for improvement from a motivational perspective. The results show that the material contains several examples of motivational factors, but that there are opportunities for further improvements to generate greater individual motivation.

This study investigates the motivations behind conscripts' choice to remain in the Swedish Armed Forces following basic training. Existing explanations lacks clarity, with results often contradictory and inconclusive. Hence, utilizing conscripts as the primary data source, this study seeks to comprehend the driving forces that motivate them to sustain their military involvement. Employing a mixed-methods approach utilizing five distinct motivational categories inspired by Charles Moskos and Fabrizio Battistelli: institutional, work-related, paleomodern, modern, and postmodern. The findings suggest that multiple motivational categories interact and exhibit partial interdependence. Notably, postmodern driving forces, encompassing personal development, the pursuit of adventure, and self-realization, emerge as critical factors influencing conscripts' motivation for continued commitment. Additionally, the study reveals that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has amplified conscripts' motivation to remain engaged. This research contributes to the understanding of conscripts' motivations and sheds light on the significance of postmodern motivators in driving their commitment.

Littoral warfare implies a disproportionate advantage to the coastal navy or “defending” side. Small navies sometimes lean on larger navies in doctrinal production. A coastal navy’s goals, methods and capabilities can be considered thought to be different from that of a larger navy’s regarding in regards to littoral warfare. This paper answers the question “What does littoral warfare mean for different types of states?”.

An ideal type analysis was used to answer the question, and the doctrines of Sweden (type A state), USA (type B), and the UK (type B) were analysed in regards to the research question. This paper found inds that each type of state viewed littoral warfare in regards to themselves, from their own perspective; a type A state can be seen as a defender and a type B state as an aggressor. In the context of littoral warfare context, each the types of states employed different goals, methods and means as pertaining to littoral warfare.